Victims flee early morning attempted carjacking unharmed

OKLAHOMA CITY — Today we learned more about an attempted car-jacking and wild chase that ended with a crash into the side of a home. The victim and his passengers are pretty shaken up and say their main concern right now is finding out who did this to them.

Police say after getting an early start to their morning, the victims were waiting for a red light at NW 36th and Portland to turn green when they looked out of their windows to find a gun pointed their way.

“A vehicle, described as a primer colored vehicle, pulled up and basically demanded his car,” says Sgt. Jennifer Wardlow.

When he said no he began to drive away. The suspect began firing at him actually hitting his car several times.”

From there the victim sped off with the victim on his tail continuing to fire shots at the car which flattened their tires, sending them crashing into the side of a house.

Wardlow says, “Everybody got out of the vehicle started running on foot. Obviously our suspect took off before officers got there.”

Now police need the community’s help. They are looking for a suspect described as an Asian male in a primer colored Civic.

“We would encourage anyone who has tip or has any information or might have seen something very early Thursday morning to contact police through Crime Stoppers,” says Wardlow.

State Trooper Betsy Randolph says the suspect in this case took a chance starting an altercation with these guys.

“You have to be really bold and maybe even desperate to do that when you approach a car,” says Randolph. “We’ve got open carry in Oklahoma. We’ve got concealed carry in Oklahoma.”

In the situation these guys found themselves in, you never know how you’re going to react until you are put to the test and they decided to speed away. With the suspect on their tail and bullets flying, was that the safest way to respond? We asked Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s Betsy Randolph.

Randolph says, “Unfortunately because those kinds of crimes are so unpredictable the best thing that you can do is cooperate with someone who’s armed.”

On the other hand because you never know what could happen getting away might have been what saved their lives so Randolph says they are leery about giving any specific advice.

“It’s one of those deals where we hate to get boxed into a corner and tell you to do one thing and it turn badly for you,” says Randolph.

Instead she says to use your best instincts, but always remember nothing is worth more than surviving.

“We always tell people your life is a lot more valuable than any of your possessions,” says Randolph. “If they ask for your money, just give it to them and if they ask for your car, give them your car.”

She says don’t look at it as the criminal is getting away with your car, just know the bad guy always gets what’s coming to him.

Randolph says, “Give it to them and then be a good witness, because you won’t be a witness if they shoot you, or stab you, or something like that; and you are unable to cooperate with police.”